Police Slammed With N10m Damage Over Detainee’s Death

A High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the Nigerian Police Force to pay the sum of N10 million as compensation to the relatives of a suspect, Nura Umar, who died in their detention.

Delivering his judgment in the case, Justice Yusuf Ubale lambasted the Nigerian Police for acting in an unlawful manner, describing the detention of the deceased for 11 days as “unconstitutional and a clear violation of his fundamental rights”..

He directed the Assistant Inspector General of Police , Zone 1, Cornelius Kayode Aderanti and the Kano state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Yusuf, to pay the mother of the deceased and his guardian, Hadiza Umar and Abdullahi Isa, respectively, the sum of N8 million as compensation.

The jugde also awarded N2 million as general and exemplary damages against the Nigeria Police.

Hadiza Umar, the deceased’s mother had earlier approached the court situated on Miller Road, through her counsel, Ali Jamilu, seeking redress for the death of her son.

According to Jamilu, the police had arrested the deceased for allegedly committing an act of theft and had held him in their custody from 26th of January 2017 to 6th February 2017 when he passed away.

He had urged the court to enforce the late Umar’s right to life, insisting the police acted in contrast to the provisions of Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.